Anthony Davis and Jrue Holiday Earn All-Defensive First Team Honors

NEW ORLEANS – The NBA announced today that Pelicans forward/center Anthony Davis and guard Jrue Holiday were named to the 2017-18 NBA All-Defensive First Team. The distinction is Davis’ first of his career, and third overall All-Defense recognition, having been named to the second team in 2015 and 2017, and Holiday’s first in his nine-year NBA career.

Davis, 6-10, 253, led the NBA in blocks per game (2.6), finished fifth in the NBA in rebounds per game (11.1), and ranked 15th in steals per game (1.5). Davis recorded four or more blocks 21 times, including 14 games of five or more blocks, and a career-high and Pelicans franchise record 10 blocks Mar. 11 vs. Utah; 50 games with double-digit rebounds, including 16 games with 15 or more rebounds; and 17 games with three or more steals, including a career-high-tying six Feb. 10 at Brooklyn. In 75 regular season games, Davis led the Pelicans in rebounds 41 times, steals 20 times and blocks 50 times. On May 16, Davis was named a finalist for the Kia NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award, with the winner being announced at the 2018 NBA Awards Presented by Kia on June 25.

Holiday, 6-4, 205, finished the regular season as one of 10 players in the NBA that recorded at least 50 blocks, 100 steals and 300 rebounds, and one of just four guards. Holiday racked up 64 blocks in the 2017-18 campaign, ranking him third among players that are shorter than 6-7. Holiday’s presence on the defensive end was valuable, as New Orleans boasted a 103.2 defensive rating with him on the floor (equivalent to the 5th best in the NBA), and a 112.3 rating without him (equivalent to 30th in the NBA). Among guards, Holiday finished the season tied for first in contested shots per game (8.8), sixth in deflections per game (3.1), and among point guards, ranked fourth in defensive real plus-minus (2.13). Holiday led the Pelicans in steals 33 times and blocks 13 times during the 2017-18 season.

Davis and Holiday are joined on the first team with Victor Oladipo (Indiana Pacers), Robert Covington (Philadelphia 76ers) and Rudy Gobert (Utah Jazz).

This marks the first time in team history teammates have been named to either All-Defensive teams in the same season. Holiday is the third player from New Orleans to receive the distinction, joining Davis and Chris Paul, who was named to the second team in 2007-08, and the first team in 2008-09.